Calm tree-lined water at dusk in the Biesbosch, reeds and trees reflected, time in nature to lower stress

5 ways to immediately lower your stress

December 6, 2023

It’s been said that 90% of disease are caused by stress. According to McKinsey Health Institute1, globally one in four employees are experiencing signs of burnout. Stress hormones weaken the immune system, increase aging and the risk of (chronic) disease. If you're curious about the most common signs of stress, th…

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Woman at her laptop biting a pencil with a tense, frazzled look, the first signs of stress at work

The first signs of stress

November 13, 2023

It's "Workplace Stress Week" here in The Netherlands. A great moment to share some of the first signs of stress so you can take action before you undermine your health. Here are some common signs of stress: Physical signs: You often get a cold or headache Trouble sleeping Fatigue Also in times of st…

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Two people shaking hands over business documents, reaching agreement instead of misreading each other

How to stop misinterpreting other people for smoother negotiations

September 29, 2023

I enjoy helping people to navigate interpersonal challenges at work. Clients like to bounce situations off me—I help them get clear on the other person’s perspective. We make so many assumptions, most of which are negatively colored. When we look at it from a neutral perspective, we see a misinterpretation or a …

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A backpack and Iris van Ooyen's book Radiant on white bedding, the self-care basics no one taught you

Have you been taught these fundamental basics for life?

September 20, 2023

It’s interesting how as we grow up, we are taught so many things but rarely do we learn something as fundamental as taking care of our well-being. It never really occurred to me that you had to recharge, I was always busy doing things and kept going as there was always enough to do. Sure, I would sit down and w…

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Calm Lake Lucerne with alps beyond and pink flowers in the foreground, real rest, not a catch-up week

My best tips to enjoy a relaxing vacation

July 19, 2023

I’ve learned to block off vacation weeks in my calendar. I know when I don’t put those chunks in first, they get squashed—because there is always plenty to do. Because I consciously schedule my time off, I thought I could check the box “vacation covered.” I make sure that (ideally) every six weeks I hav…

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Man relaxed with his feet up at an airport holding Iris van Ooyen's book Radiant, choosing how he spends his time

Everything is a choice. What is yours?

June 28, 2023

The inspiration for this post came to me a few minutes ago. You can listen to the original audio of 2.5 minutes at the bottom of this page or read the typed out version below 😉. Everything is a choice. It might be a subconscious or unconscious choice but everything is a choice. You have twenty-four hou…

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Woman sitting curled up with her head on her knees at the water's edge at sunset, the shame of burnout that isn't yours to carry

I felt like a failure

June 12, 2023

If you've ever been (on the verge of) burned out—or if you know someone who went through that experience—this might be worth reading... There’s a lot of shame around burnout. It often feels like a failure. I know that I felt like I had failed—I shouldn’t have ended up in burnout. I felt like I did somet…

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Halved red onion in water revealing its concentric layers around a pale core, the true self beneath the layers

Who are you underneath the layers?

May 23, 2023

We’re social creatures. We adapt. That’s how we survive. But what if you've adapted so much that you’re losing touch with who you truly are? What if you’ve become so good at sensing what other people need and what is expected of you that you’ve adjusted yourself to the point that this desired behavior has …

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Man sitting outdoors, hand to his chin in thought, holding Iris van Ooyen's book Radiant, being over doing

The inner creates the outer

May 5, 2023

The majority of results stem from our energy, not our actions. I believe the 80-20% rule applies here as well. I know that’s not how most of us behave, nor is it what we’ve been taught. Instead, we spend the majority of our time taking frantic action to try to influence the remaining 20%. We like taking action a…

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A quiet green woodland path leading into the trees, the extra mile you don't need to walk

Why you should stop going the extra mile

April 12, 2023

I have a natural eye for detail and I have very high standards, often higher than many other people. That reminds me of what my marketing manager said at the time: What’s 80% for you is 110% for most people. You don’t need to put all your time and energy into the final 20%. Stop at 80% and everyone’s overjoyed…

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